Japan’s annual Hiwatari or fire-walking festival is held on the second Sunday of March at a temple on Mount Takao, west of the capital Tokyo on March 13, 2022. (South China Morning Post)

Japan's financial regulator will introduce new capital requirements for large banks, known as Basel III, two years later than originally planned, Nikkei has learned. (Nikkei)

Japan is considering lifting the COVID-19 quasi-state of emergency for 18 prefectures upon its expiration next week as the number of infections in those areas has been decreasing, a government source said Monday. (Kyodo)

Six Russian Navy vessels have passed through the Soya Strait between Cape Soya in Hokkaido and the Russian island of Sakhalin, the government’s top spokesman, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, told a news conference Tuesday. (Japan Times)

Japan will consider creating a police unit to protect the country's nuclear plants, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday in the wake of Russia's takeover of Ukrainian nuclear facilities. (Nikkei)

Japan has backed its condemnation of war in Ukraine with sanctions on Russian officials and oligarchs, but experts say they're not the only audience for Tokyo's outrage -- China is meant to get the message, too. (CNN)

The number of women committing suicide in Japan rose for the second straight year in 2021, totaling 7,068, due possibly to the lingering impact of the coronavirus pandemic, government data showed Tuesday. (Japan Today)

Who has not heard about the most incredible Japanese swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi? (newsonjapan.com)

My name is Karen. Nice meeting you! (Japan explorer)

Japanese manufacturers are starting to explore alternatives to Russia in sourcing their raw materials, as concerns about supply stability are growing due to the disruptions in production and logistics associated with the country’s “special military operation” in Ukraine. (phnompenhpost.com)

Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi's "Drive My Car" won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for a film not in the English language on Sunday, its latest international accolade in the run-up to the Oscars. (Kyodo)

An 11-year-old boy died after being hit by an express train in Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, on Saturday. (Japan Today)

Learn Japanese pitch-accent and pronunciation from my Patreon Series "Japanese Phonetics" (Dogen)

In today’s video, we are going back to school! More specifically, we spent the day attending sixth grade in an elementary-school-themed izakaya. (Japan by Food)

Today we are exploring Tokyo's Amazing Waterways (Tokyo Lens)

The Japanese Ministry of Defense officially received the first new Taigei-class submarine at a Kobe shipyard on Wednesday, completing the 22-sub fleet sought by the government. (Nikkei)

China's banks lack the creditworthiness and international connections that Japan's financial institutions enjoy. (Nikkei)

Prized for its high fat content, bluefin tuna are perhaps the most prized fish in the ocean. In the modern sushi industry closed-cycle aquaculture may be the key to the species future on menus. (Noal Farm)

Japan's Osaka, ranked 78th in the world after her third-round exit at the Australian Open, was rocked early in the first set when someone in the crowd yelled "Naomi, you suck." (timesnownews.com)

The global semiconductor shortage has been making new cars hard to come by and now it is affecting used vehicles. The limited supply has sent prices for previously-owned cars soaring in Japan. (NHK)

A 40-year-old woman who was attacked by a 17-year-old boy at her apartment Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture, on Feb 14, has died of her injuries, police said Sunday. (Japan Today)

The yen’s plunge to a five-year low shows no signs of easing as surging commodity prices have worsened the outlook for Japan’s trade balance and put pressure on the currency’s haven credentials. (Japan Times)

The number of new coronavirus cases in Japan is slowly trending downward. Over 9,100 new cases were reported in the capital on Saturday. That is about 1,600 fewer infections than the capital recorded one week ago. (NHK)

The Japanese government will urge Russia to exercise restraint as Moscow steps up measures over four Russian-held islands claimed by Japan. (NHK)

Police in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, have arrested a 63-year-old man on suspicion of stealing at least 18 guard rails from roads in Moka, Tochigi Prefecture. (Japan Today)